Belfast was our destination on Thursday 1st February and return on the second. We went by aeroplane which did not take very long at all. Of course I would have preferred to a gone by sea, but 'G' said that would take too long.

Here be where we stayed - a place called Stranmillis College


It was founded in 1922 to provide state-funded teacher education in the northern portion of the recently partitioned Ireland.

With its very attractive and historic campus of 18 hectares only three kilometres from the centre of Belfast. "The College's track record in teacher education since 1922 has been second to none".

I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Belfast, for various reasons including that it was once a great shipbuilding city and where they built the Titanic a shame about her maiden voyage mateys.

Here I be in the fair town of Welwyn Garden City. It be a strange old name I tell 'ee as it is indeed a town not a city!


We came here today at Oaklands College, because old 'G' was meeting with some folks to see if it would be a good place for this 'ere e-fair that they do every year. I went to the last one and very entertainin it was to me!

What be beyond that door Mateys?

I could say that this is all Greek to me -but then maybe not!

Beautiful grounds!

A view of the cloister

Just returned from Jesus College -Cambridge. Old 'G' a took me up there yesterday and overnight for a meeting with ACL advisers and other good jolly folk.

The College was founded in 1496, and it originally consisted of buildings taken over from the nunnery of St Mary and St Radegund: namely the chapel, and the cloister attached to it; the nuns' refectory, which became the college hall; and the former lodging of the prioress, which became the Master's Lodge. All around there are sculptures and other arty thingies.

We dined in the evening on:

Mushroom & Goats Cheese Tart with Creme Fraiche
Supreme of Corn-Fed Chicken with Tomato Pommes Anna
Finished off with-
Fallen Chocolate Souffle with Armagnac Prunes & Creme Fraiche Sauce

All washed down with a fine red wine -ha haar mateys!

The Journey has only just begun

The Canadians & 'A'

Met this friendly horsey on the way

A refreshin glass o' French Brandy me hearties!

Today went on the 'two churches' walk -a so called because we go by two churches would you believe me hearties! Although an overcast day we did not encounter much in the way of rain -mind 'ee I have of course sailed across through typhoons, monsoons and all kind of stormy weathers I can tell 'ee me hearties.

A veritable treasure trove!

Keep clear ye scurvey dogs or you will a feel me belayin' pin!

Christmas jollities started with the unwrappin of presents. 'A' got this bejewelled scent bottle and the silver casket ---wonder who the Cap'n Morgan rum belongs to?

Out and about

Shiver me timbers me hearties!

Nearly as tall as a mainmast!

Went for a stroll with 'G' up to Chalkney Woods. The wood I rested upon may have made some fine spars but cut far too short to make decent mast out of. When we were a below the electickery pylon we could a hear a crackilin' sound -rather like that St Elmos fire methinks.

A down by the river Colne

Above a ragin torrent!

All a bit misty and dark mateys!

Me cold? I be Tough Ted not some landlubber!

Today went a explorin with G down along the river Colne and surrounding parts. It was a bit foggy and cold -but a course mateys 'avin sailed within both the arctic and antarctic circles this was quite a mild day only around 32 degrees Fahrenheit certainly not brass monkeys weather I can tell 'ee. (A bit more on brass monkeys here.)

Har! I fine lookin' tavern! Just the place for a thirsty sailor to be a refreshin' imself with a glass of dark rum! Sad to say mateys we were a moorin up here so that our fine shipmate B could embark as he a be workin in there. I must ask him sometime to provide some of that lovely dark nectar from the West Indies.

Went a walkin with 'G' & 'A' today and came across this here small craft a lyin in the ditch. How the devil it get there I'll be blowed, probably pulled up there by the village lads for a 'bit of a lark'. A fine little boat like that should be a plyin down the river not a lurkin in the trees like that!

These ere craft be a tad small but good for coastal waters

A fine look out -Bateman's Tower!

I thought I would take a rest on this ere anchor

Arh! a short break on the beach!

Today went with 'G' to a fair little place a called 'Brightlingsea'. It was good to have that briny smell a waftin across me nostrils I can tell ye! The craft were mainly pretty little dinghies and so on.

'G' and 'A' enjoyed a hearty lunch of fish and chips on the harbour front delicious!

More piccies be a here.

More voyages -this time we went to the British Racing School near Newmarket. The horseys on the gate give a clue as it is a place for youngsters to learn how to race horses and all that.

"It was established in 1983 and the principle objectives of the school are to provide and promote training and education for people employed in racing to a high standard of excellence".

Of course I prefer to be on a poop deck than a saddle -but each to their own!

Ahoy thar mateys! Just back from voyage with Gebeth to Paris. It was good to feel the swell of the sea and that briney air to be sure! We did a fair bit of travellin' in that city -Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Louvre all sorts of fancy places! It was hot as down at the equator I can tell 'ee! 

Milton Keynes last Sunday was our port o' call! Voyaged across as young T was 'avin some kind of guitar gradin' exam -arr! He thinks that he did well -we will wait and see when the results arrive

In the afternoon we a went to see a film "Pirates of the Caribbean" -it was very excitin' with monsters, Davy Jones and all manner of pirates and sailin vessels -I would like to be aboard the 'Black Pearl' old Captain Jack Sparrows vessel (perhaps not when it gets sunk by the Kraken though!)

Web site thingy be a here!

Ahoy! Travelled to Cambridge again today, this time for an 'e-fair'. When G said this I swore that he was a sayin' eeeh fare -I could not work out what he was a goin on about I can tell ye.

Turns out it was to do with usin them thar computter thingies and other stuff which as you know is way beyond an old sea bear like me I can tell ee. Seems that the people who went had a grand old time anyway and that's all that matters.

Ahoy thar mateys! Ere I be with them thar stout fellows of the band 4 Ft-7! Ah Haaar!
I a voyaged to a place called Clophill to help them out with a 'Battle of the Bands' to be sure.

It was a battle between various rock bands with judgin an all. The fine crew won second prize and both I and G were extremely proud of 'em I can tell ye.

There I be perched up on the drum kit -not as high as a main mast but by all the seasons it got fair loud I can tell 'ee.

G did a bit of filmin so if you would like to see the lads of 4 Ft-7 with a couple of their pieces then click your mousey thingy here. Or see it here.

My heartiest congratulations to 4 Ft-7 -now where is that bottle of rum that ye promised me?

Cambridge again mateys! This time by the river Cam with all them thar funny punts! We also went to part of University of Cambridge -behind me is a skeleleton of a whale! Arr I love whales and their ilk -such intelligent creatures -whenever we came across a whalin' ship I was always tempted the blow the scurvy lot out o the water!

G is busy a workin' on me next video -so keep a lookout mateys!

Voyaged to Clophill to support T as 'is band were a playin' in somethin' a called 'Battle of the Bands'. G said that I did not need me trusty belayin pin and to stow away the black powder as it was not that type of battle.

Anyways this battle was between various 'rock' bands -not a tin whistle, squeeze box or fiddle to be heard -instead a mighty noise louder than a cannonade comin' a from electric guitars and loud singers! at times I ad to cover up me good ear but then I started to get to like it especially when T's band "Four Foot Seven" started up. You can be a spyin me up there on the drum kit and with the band after.

They sang various things like God Save The Queen (different words though but they did keep sayin that they loved the Queen) 13 stitches, Monster Mash and I really liked one when we could all chorus Hey Ho Lets Go!

A grand day and Four Foot Seven got second prize -£150 luvverly pounds of vouchers from a music shoppe! I know that G was extremely proud of T and I say well done too matey!

St Ives today mateys! No not unfortunately the one in Cornwall -ah the smell of brine in the air how I be missin' it!

Here I be by the River Great Ouse
That bridge ye can see is very old, G says that it is mideevil. See more about it 'ere.
That scurvy dog Oliver Cromwell has a statue of him in the town centre. Want to know more about this fair town? Then have a look see 'ere.

Cardiff this Thursday an' Wednesday wi' G. He be meetin' wi' his fellow captains from around th' country, England, Ireland, Scotland an' Wales t' talk about usin' these here computers an' things t' help swabbies wi' the'r learnin'.

't be certainly hot! I wished fer a good glass o' ale at times I can tell ye!

London wi' G. He be doin' somethin' wi' new college buildings or whatere. Now if 't had been on shipbuildin' then that would ben a different story!

Ye can be seein' me wi' th' BT Tower behind me -that would make a fine crows nest.

Across th' street be th' Chinese embassy wi' 'tis red flag flyin'. Ahh I rememeber Shangai 'ere one o' me many beauties Tiger Lily could be found!